Which Do You Want to Hear First? (You Decide!)

Bad News: because of my increasing baseline bone pain (see previous post), I've had to postpone my ultrasound home therapy, since it creates an inflammation response that is even more painful.

Good News: If I can get a prescription for either prednisone or dexamethasone (steroids), I can continue the ultrasound therapy, since these will suppress the inflammatory response without suppressing the cancer-killing activity of the ultrasound (this is how the therapy is carried out at the Dove Clinic in the UK for people, like me, with a heavy tumor load).

Bad News: Although my oncologist had previously recommended prednisone for me for unrelated reasons, I thought I would be able to get a prescription from her -- but now she no longer wants me to be on prednisone.

Good News: As a replacement for the prednisone she was going to recommend, my oncologist wants me to start on ProVenge, an anti-prostate cancer vaccine that's new and has had some success. (I received a personalized version of this vaccine when I was treated in Germany in 2007 and got a complete remission for eight months.)

Being a basically cheerful person, I will end with the good news! ;-)